Category Grant Programs

Pictured is Photographer Matika Wilbur, who will present on Native language and culture at an event at SSC on Oct. 5.

Photographer to Illuminate Native Language and Culture at SSC Event

Josh Hutton

Photographer Matika Wilbur will take to the stage to present “Celebrating Native Language and Culture” at Seminole State College’s Jeff Johnston Auditorium on Oct. 5 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. The event is sponsored by SSC’s Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institutions (NASNTI) federal grant program.

Wilbur, a visual storyteller hailing from the Swinomish and Tulalip peoples of coastal Washington, embarked on a journey in 2012 to change the way people perceive Native America through the power of photography.

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Osage History Brought to the Stage at SSC

Josh Hutton
Pictured: Performers are shown on stage during the Osage ballet “Wahzhazhe” on Aug. 15 in the Jeff Johnston Fine Arts Auditorium.

The Seminole State College Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institutions federal grant program hosted the Osage ballet “Wahzhazhe” on Aug. 15 in the Jeff Johnston Fine Arts Auditorium.

Pictured: A crowd of students, faculty, staff, and more, watch the Osage ballet “Wahzhazhe” on Aug. 15 in the Jeff Johnston Fine Arts Auditorium.

Students, employees and community members enjoyed the performance, which depicts more than 400 years of the tribe’s history. Following the event, attendees had the opportunity to meet with the ballet dancers.

SSC GEAR UP students Benjamin Foster (left) and Mandy Primeaux (right) attended the Youth Leadership Summit in San Fransisco, California, from July 16-19.

SSC GEAR UP Students Attend Youth Leadership Summit

Josh Hutton

Two Seminole State College GEAR UP students were selected to attend the 2023 Youth Leadership Summit (YLS) in San Francisco, California, from July 16-19.

The two students, Benjamin Foster of Prague and Mandy Primeaux of Wewoka, joined 150 of their peers from across the country at the summit. The students and GEAR UP staff were able to experience and tour many cultural and historical sites, including San Francisco’s Chinatown, Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz Prison, the Golden Gate Bridge and more.

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SSC Talent Search’s Annual Camp Provides Learning Experiences and Adventure for High School Students

Josh Hutton
Forty-seven 9th and 10th graders from 15 different area schools pose for a group photo during the Seminole State College Talent Search/FOCUS annual residential camp on the College’s campus.

From July 10 to July 13, the Seminole State College Talent Search/FOCUS grant program held their annual residential camp on the College’s campus. Forty-seven 9th and 10th graders from 15 different area schools were in attendance and were able to experience team building, leadership exercises, cultural activities and outdoor adventures.

Talent Search/Focus students pose for a photo at Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma after watching a live performance.

During the camp, Talent Search/Focus students toured and watched a performance at the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma.

Pictured in life jackets, several members of the Seminole State College Talent Search/FOCUS grant program prepare for white water rafting at Riversport OKC.

Students also enjoyed white water rafting at Riversport OKC (pictured) and a trip to Frontier City. For more information about the Talent Search Program, please visit http://www.sscok.edu/sponsored-grant-programs/talent-search/ or call 405-382-9709.

SSC Hosts Retirement Reception for Two Longtime Employees

Josh Hutton
Pictured are Co-workers, family and friends who gathered to celebrate the retirement of Talent Search Director Mary Ann Hill and Upward Bound Head Coordinator Ronnie Williamson in the E.T. Dunlap Student Union on June 26.

Seminole State College hosted a retirement reception for Talent Search Director Mary Ann Hill and Upward Bound Head Coordinator Ronnie Williamson in the E.T. Dunlap Student Union on June 26. Co-workers, family and friends gathered to celebrate their careers and wish them well on their retirements.

Pictured are Ronnie Williamson (left) and Mary Ann Hill (right) who will retire from SSC at the end of June.

Ronnie Williamson (left) and Mary Ann Hill (right) will retire from SSC at the end of June. Williamson served one year as an Advisor for the Talent Search grant program before working under the Upward Bound grant. He is looking forward to spending more time golfing, swimming and running following his retirement. He resides in Seminole. Hill has been employed by SSC for 32 years. In addition to her role as the Director of the Talent Search grant program, she also is a past President of the Professional Staff Association. She is active in the Seminole Humane Society and resides in Seminole.

Middle School Students Participate in Rollercoaster Camp at SSC

Josh Hutton
Eighth-grade students participating in the Seminole State College Talent Search/FOCUS federal grant programs Coaster Camp are pictured working together, problem solving and building their own rollercoasters.

The Seminole State College Talent Search/FOCUS federal grant program hosted Coaster Camp on June 13 and 14 for eighth-grade students. During the engineering camp, students worked together, problem solved and built their own rollercoasters. Jenny Davidson, a geometry and trigonometry teacher at Wewoka High School, taught hands-on lessons related to force, energy and motion.

Eighth-grade students participating in the Seminole State College Talent Search/FOCUS federal grant programs Coaster Camp pose for a group photo during a visit to the Frontier City theme park in Oklahoma City.

Students were then able to apply those lessons on a larger scale with a visit to the Frontier City theme park in Oklahoma City. “We cannot brag on this group enough. They worked hard, communicated well with their teammates and solved problems together. We’re proud of these future engineers,” Talent Search Advisor Angela Harjo said. For more information about the Talent Search/FOCUS program, visit sscok.edu/sponsored-grant-programs/talent-search or call 405-382-9703.

SSC Talent Search Participants Attend Cultural Events

Josh Hutton
Seminole State College Talent Search/FOCUS federal grant program participants pose for a photo outside of the Lion King musical at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center.

On June 1, the Seminole State College Talent Search/FOCUS federal grant program hosted a trip for 90 sixth graders, SSC students and staff volunteers, and high school mentors to see the Lion King musical at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center.

SSC Talent Search/FOCUS Program, along with volunteers from SSC Student Support Services Program pose for a photo during their trip to the OKC Broadway production of Hamilton.

The SSC Talent Search/FOCUS Program, along with volunteers from SSC Student Support Services Program, attended the OKC Broadway production of Hamilton and enjoyed Logan’s for lunch. “This event was a once in a lifetime opportunity that we were so excited to offer to our upper classman participants from our area high schools. We plan to have many more similar events in the future,” Talent Search/FOCUS Advisor Angela Harjo said. For more information about the FOCUS Program, please visit sscok.edu/sponsored-grant-programs/talent-search or call 405-382-9703.

{File Photo} High school students learn about construction during the Peek into Engineering Summer Camp in July of 2022.

SSC Taking Applications for Engineering Camp for High School Students

Josh Hutton

Applications are now open for Seminole State College’s Peek into Engineering Summer Camp. The residential camp is open to high school students enrolled in 9th through 12th grade in the fall of 2023. Students will spend July 23-July 28 on SSC’s campus, learning how to build underwater remote-operated vehicles.

The camp is offered for free to students through a grant from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. Space is limited, so applying early is encouraged.

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Promotional art for the event.

Native Language Conference to Be Held at SSC

Josh Hutton

Seminole State College’s NASNTI program will host a two-day Native language conference centered on the theme “How to Become a Native Language Ally” on Tuesday, April 18, and Wednesday, April 19, at 11:00 a.m. at the Jeff Johnson Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public. Each day panels will include a wide range of experts and will feature a discussion of language preservation.

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